What we know about WEST William Henry

Born in 1894 in East Budleigh to John West and Amelia (nee Sanders), William was the sixth child of 13.

The family lived in a cottage in East Budleigh but had moved to Budleigh Salterton by 1911, when census records show that William was a grocer’s assistant.

His father John was a van man for Perriams in Budleigh and when he was buried in 1937 in St Peter’s Cemetery it was recorded that he had lived at 12 Cliff Road. Amelia died in 1954, aged 90, and her address then was given as High Street.

William served with the 8th Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment. Army burial records say that at the time of his death, when he was 22, his parents were living in Cliff Road.

On 25 September 1915, the first day of the Battle of Loos, the Devonshires, particularly the 8th and 9th Battalions, suffered heavy casualties.

Private 11876 William Henry West is remembered with honour on the War Memorial and the brass plaque in St Peter’s Church in Budleigh Salterton, as well as at the football club, and on the Loos Memorial.

The story of three of his brothers who also served in the war, but who survived, is told here.

William West, Pte, 9th Devons is listed under 'Missing' in the Budleigh Salterton Roll of Honour.

1.

Wednesday 20 May 2015 12:14 PM

Chris Hunter wrote:

I just commented on a linked page to this, which confirms who I am. Thank you for this information, and I have a couple of amendment to this page:
William Henry West was not the 6th of 13 children, he was the 8th of 15.
If, as stated on the other page, 10 of the 13 children were born in Budleigh Salterton, then 12 of the 15 were, so they moved there between 1885 and 1887, so the 1891 and 1901 censuses should have them living in BS.
Amelia West was 91 when she died.
Thank you for these pages.